


Leaving the Past Behind to Make Better Memories

by Lady_Kaie



Series: The Light That Has Returned [5]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Anxiety, Attempted Seduction, F/M, Fighting, Fluff, Gen, Light Bondage, Lingerie, Multi, Other, Sex, Sexual Abuse, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:53:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24525706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Kaie/pseuds/Lady_Kaie
Summary: A little bit more of Meryda's past comes out for Ignis to see.  He is disturbed by it as is most of the rest of the group.  Meryda decides she is going to move on with her life once and for all...
Relationships: Ignis Scientia/Original Female Character(s), Original Female Character/ Original Female character, Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum, Ravus Nox Fleuret/Original Female Character(s)
Series: The Light That Has Returned [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1711141
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own nor am I affliated with FFXV or Square Enix and I do not profit from these stories

The spring quarter started at the start of March, with the new business arriving to the districts and their elected officials promptly at 8:00 am the 1st. Thus far in the one year project of having Tenebrae integrate into Lucian life, while the Crown City did their best to accommodate the newest citizens. Throughout the year Tenebraean citizens had been put onto councils, were ensured a voice at the highest level, and the Queen had even created a board with her Elders to see to the shrines and religious affairs of the entire country. Thus far, even in the Citadel, positions were made, altered and added to so that Tenebrae was sure to have a say in the way their lives went.

Nothing was perfect, and there was still a lot of work to be done, however, in a short year’s time, the King had thought he did fairly well with his team, and even though they hadn’t been able to see to the spring festivals that Tenebrae was known for, the three day long festivity had been declared a national holiday and unofficial celebrations from the shrines had been put on display for the crown city.

For some it had been more than enough to quiet their fears of being swallowed whole by Lucis and assimilated to their ways. For others, it wasn’t nearly enough.

Lunafreya, the Queen of Tenebrae and now Lucis, she was the ruling member beside Noctis who had declared that they would be equals in running the joint countries. She sat in on all of his important business, and if for some reason she couldn’t be there then Meryda accompanied him as her first Priestess. Basically, Meryda was Luna’s Iggy. She had a solution for every situation and if one didn’t work then she made something up until it did. While not nearly as tactically savvy in the art of combat she had other tricks up her sleeve that Ignis could certainly take notes from. They were a good match.

The entire team of Tenebrae’s elite was a good match with those who had grown up knowing that they would work for Lucis until the day they died. Yet, there would always be those loyalists who thought that the joining of the two nations was an abomination and those who believed in such a compromise were traitors to their people. 

And of course those people were always the hardest to quiet.

It was a month into the Spring quarter and things were not as happy as anyone had thought. In the King and Queen’s joint meeting room the two sat, side by side at the head of the table. To the left sat the Queen’s most trusted family, and the right sat the Elder Hollister’s family. Five members from each with the Elder of the Houses front and center. Closest to the King sat Meryda, Maery, Myori, Miva and their Uncle Myrn. Closest to the Queen sat four of the five sons and the Elder Hollister.

There was no love lost between Myori and Ophenius as they had grown up together, went through school together, and spent many of their formative years trying to out do the other. The Hollister family saw to all traditions and rites that centered on their patron Astral, Ifrit. Noctis shifted uncomfortably in his seat as Hollister, a tall and rather robust man who had lost the battle with the bulge just a tad bit, though it was easy to see that in his prime he had been a fierce warrior. Top heavy, with a bald head and finely carved grey goatee on his face, his dark intense eyes drew a person’s gaze and not in a good way. There was something evil in those eyes, and his sons save for the youngest at the far end, all had those beedy little demonic orbs.

Meryda could feel a pair of eyes on her but paid them no mind even if every hair on her body was standing on edge. It was the rush of adrenaline in preparation for a fight that always started to brew between the two warriors. Deacon Hollister had been the one who frequently tried for her attention no matter how hard she turned him down, the man could not accept the word no. Thankfully her mother detested the entire family and wouldn’t even allow any of her House to fraternize with them, which was the one rule Meryda never tried to flout.

Turning to Noctis and opening to her agenda so she could take notes, she noticed there were three glaring points on the stark white page that had no other topics to soften the blow. The words glared back at her, ready to launch off the page and shove them roughly down her throat, much how this meeting was going to go once the Elders began. They were all going to be choking on the mountains of smoke that would be left in Myori and Ophenius’ wake.

Noctis looked around the table and figured that now was as good a time as ever to start this battle. With a look of reassurance to Luna, who resembled a young child caught in the stare of a Jabberwok, he cleared his throat to garner the attention his position demanded and began. Only the younger members, and Meryda’s uncle, actually looked at him.

“I will bring this meeting to order. On the Docket we have three complaints brought forth by the House of Hollister. The first complaint is against the King of Lucis,” Him, yay… “For not adhering to promises made to promote Tenebraean customs during national holidays.” 

The King barely had time to get the final words out of his mouth before Ophenius snapped his frigid glare in Noctis’ direction and let into a tirade.

“For the Spring quarter, the Tenebrae Sylleblossom festival was not on promotion save for at the Shrines. And now the Summer quarter has no Tenebraean customs listed for the city.” He huffed in his deep growling tone that surprisingly enough was his nice voice.

Meryda took out her summary of the Spring Quarter and took a look at the plans for the Summer quarter. Technically the summer list had not come out yet, this was a reminder of last year’s. But of course this family would freak out that there wasn’t anything on the docket concerning them, because summer was when they celebrated Ifrit. Each Astral had a day allotted to them throughout the year, while as a unit they were celebrated all over Eos during the Astral’s Festival. The Elder attempted to keep going, but Meryda held up her hand to cut him off. “The sylleblossoms did not bloom in time for the festival,” And they knew that they wouldn’t so the other Houses didn’t even ask for the festival during the winter months, “And the King made a formal announcement that there would be one next year however this year he was making the four days a national holiday to compensate. Also, the list that came out for the summer is last year’s list for reference. Your summer requests are due in the second week of May.” From there meetings would be organized etcetera.

Ophenius’ face turned beet red that Myori’s eldest was talking to him in such a disrespectful manner and what was more the Elder Strigan looked proud! “Listen girl.”

The other four Strigan’s at the table swiveled their heads toward the man shouting at the future Lightbearer but Meryda merely cocked a brow and continued in an even tone. “The King promised, that the Queen signed, that within five years the Crown City would be hosting all Tenebraean events. The two Monarchs also declared that they would work with the communities to join customs for both cities on joint holidays over the next five years.” As if to further make her point, she slid the signed document that had been publicly posted in the visiting area of the citadel and the numerous shrines around the city. “He had broken no promise to you. The sylleblossoms didn’t bloom…”

“They could have returned to the ruins of Tenebrae and retrieved those from the fields.” He bit out angrily and then received another slip of paper.

Meryda raised her other brow and continued on in her calmest tone. “That was signed by the Queen after arrival that all Elders but yourself passed as law by the right of Tenebrae’s society that the ruins would be marked a preservation site to be untouched for the next ten years, save to preserve or collect specimens in order to ensure survival of native Tenebrae species.” A mourning period if one would allow such terms for land, it had nearly been a unanimous decision as a show of respect for the men, women, children and the society that were lost. So to raze a field full of the national flower was not considered a preservation effort. “Shall we move to your second point now that your first is null and void?”

Elder Hollister’s oldest son jumped out of his chair and leaned across the table to spit in Meryda’s face regardless of the fact that they were in front of royalty or not. When you took Houses that formed warriors and put them in negotiations or disagreement trials, someone was bound to throw that first metaphorical punch.

The Elder on the other side of the table from the Strigan’s grinned in malicious glee to see Meryda’s face smeared and dirty, which sent Myori into a near fit as she leapt from her chair and began to shout at the man to control his son.

Maery and Miva were up as well, taking on the other sons who dared to come to their father’s rescue as the oldest son let a cruel, twisted grin lace his lips. “You look good like that. Probably used to receiving it in the face for how often you are on your knees for these Lucian bastards…”

“That’s quite enough!” Noctis was on his feet, staring down the man who had dared overstep himself in the King’s presence. Luna’s face flushed in part horror part embarrassment at something so ugly being said in front of her and about her closest friend. Noctis too had had enough, especially listening to Meryda being insulted and spit on. Holding his hand to the piece in his ear he pushed on the activation button and quietly whispered to the Glaive outside the door. “Get Ignis and Gladio in here now.”

By the time the two crownsguards arrived, three of the four Hollister sons were in an all out brawl, wrestling and writhing beneath the Strigan women. Myori was taking on Ophenius while the two others sat watching the insanity with strained looks on their faces. “What on Eos is going on in here!” Ignis’ sharp voice rang out through the din, effectively cutting off all fights midway through.

Gladio tried to look stern but seeing Marie hogtie Deacon on the ground when he had been wanting to pummel the brat kind of made his day. Where she had gotten rope he would never know but he didn’t care. This was too amazing. Deacon Hollister was one of Prince Ravus’ entourage and had been working alongside his men for the past year. He took any and all opportunities to cut them down verball while boasting of his attributes that were far more advanced than theirs. His glaives had assaulted the man more than once, but he wasn’t stupid. He never said anything in front of Gladio because he knew that the Shield could and would kick his ass without consequences. As it was, Ravus was getting sick of his shenanigans but didn’t trust him to be cut loose.

Meryda had been in the process of subduing the eldest son when Ignis’ tone caught her off guard. The other man however, did not stop and sat up rapidly to wrap his hands around her back in a bid to throw her beneath him. Not blinking an eye, Meryda head butted him so hard she heard his nose crack and down he went in a pile on the meeting room floor.

Ignis raised a brow that he had been interrupted with more fighting, though he could not deny that seeing Meryda restrain a man and then literally force him into submission was one of the most attractive things he had ever seen. She was strong, his warrior. Despite all that had happened to her during the war, the fighter was still there. Not that he had ever doubted, but they rarely talked about the after effects of the darkness and all that had transpired as it had been a particularly traumatizing time for them all.

Still, there were days he could see her lost in a flashback of old and then the haze would clear and she was back with him. Her limbs shaking, he watched her stand and move to Maery who wore a severe frown of worry. “I’m ok…” Her lips mouthed the words that he took the time to read very carefully. When she met his gaze, bright blue was ready and waiting for him.

Taking the cue, Ignis ordered everyone to their seats and resumed the meeting with Gladio’s presence enforcing the things his could not, which wasn’t much. The other complaints were met with the same level of research as the first, and with Ignis at the helm, the violence was kept to a minimum. As soon as the matters were discussed and subdued, because Elder Hollister was anything but quiet as he stormed from the room with his sons in tow, save for Deacon.

Meryda stepped over to Luna when the others were gone and bowed low. “Forgive me My Lady…”

Luna tilted Meryda’s head up with a finger on her chin and shook her head. “You had every right to react that way. Never apologize.” Her gaze swept over the others who appeared sheepish, save for Myori. That message was also for the others in the room who had rushed to their sister’s and daughter’s defense.

Noctis motioned for Ignis to stay with Meryda while the others filed out of the room, leaving three bodies behind. “Well… that wasn’t half bad.” Deacon chuckled, raking his fingers through his long black hair that was permanently slicked back from his face. He was about Ignis’ height though a bit more Gladio’s build, and would have been an attractive man had it not been for his dark eyes. Those eyes had seen things, done things, revelled in the nastiness of war and craved for it to return. Whenever he looked at Meryda she felt her stomach flip in sickness. 

Ignis kept his position between Meryda and Hollister, which was what everyone called him on the Citadel grounds. He had never liked the man, and was very aware of his interest in Meryda, which he also didn’t like one little bit. The man was a hostile enemy who would sooner or later lose his composure and when that day came, he would let the soldier know in no uncertain terms that his attentions toward the eldest daughter of the Strigan House was not wanted and would no longer be tolerated. For now he had to bide his time, and keep Meryda close.

It was nearly the end of the business day and there would be no way he would return home without Meryda at his side. “I’ll return shortly.” He forced her head up so that she could see his eyes, steady and sure, and motioned toward the far door where he would be. 

Meryda nodded and took a deep breath when he shifted to the side and made his way to the other end of the room to make his call. The entire time Ignis was away, Deacon stared at her like she was his prey and he the massive cat waiting to pounce. Do it… give me a reason to get you as far away from me as possible. He was always so careful when he stepped out of line or tried to get in her space to the point that he was almost never caught or there were no witnesses to catch him. Meryda couldn’t stand the little snake. Since they were teenagers he had pined away from her, turning violent after a failed attempt at dating and she continued to refuse him, so she knew his pattern would find its way back around to said violence. When it did, she would be ready. This time she wouldn’t care about the shame it would bring to his family and the upset it would cause in her society. Enough was enough.

Ravus didn’t keep the small group waiting long, considering he couldn’t stand Hollister anywhere near Meryda and Miva would skin him alive if he would dare. Though with the way Ignis was eyeing the man with calculating precision as though trying to plan the best way to make him disappear quietly. If the Advisor ever succeeded, the Prince would pray to the Astral’s in appreciation that one more waste of space was gone off of their star’s surface.

“The Crown City Zoo has been building numerous habitats for some of Tenebrae’s more endangered creatures and they would like us at the ribbon cutting ceremony.” He gestured between Meryda and himself and then motioned for the other two. “I would like both of you to accompany the event, Hollister as my guard, and Ignis of course as a representative of Lucis but also to accompany Meryda.” 

Deacon’s dark gaze flickered toward the tall, lean Hand to the King, and all but screamed his hatred at the man and then just as fast as it had came, the look was gone. But Meryda caught it. Caught the flare of desired murder he had stored there. He sickened her, made her flesh crawl with each and every promise of unrestrained lust he always seemed to have waiting for her.

A war, torture at the hands of Ardyn and so many battles she had lost count, but the thing that haunted her most at night was Deacon. His hot breaths panting against her neck as his fingers scraped her sensitive flesh like a cat’s claws slicing through lean meat. Or the taunting words he would bite out when no one else could hear about her body, and how she was too pudgy, too indelicate like a woman should be. The way he would stare at smaller, prettier women, and point out everything that made them beautiful while she had none of their qualities.

Six months had been a lifetime at the young age of 16, where she had been beaten down to believe he was the best she would get. He was why she never trusted men. The coaxing, the mean words whispered when she wasn’t pleasing him enough, and ever the push for more when she wasn’t ready. He took all of her and gave nothing in return save for cruel remarks that tore down her pride and made her doubt her self worth. Only one other person knew but in the Prince’s different colored eyes, she could see that he had figured out the truth long ago for himself. The only reason he did nothing was because she didn’t want him to.

The rest of the short meeting was a fog as panic began to set in and then just like that, she was alone with Ignis and the oxygen rushed back into her system, clearing the haze. 

“Darling?” Dark green eyes were worried as they watched the normally unflappable woman roll through something that had truly disturbed her. He had done his digging where Hollister was concerned and found nothing official. Unofficially he had found plenty though any and all ties that could have pinned him to Meryda had been cut. Ignis knew better.

Meryda shook her head to clear it and try to calm Ignis’ concerns, though she was trembling so roughly that she had to find a seat so that she could get herself under control. “It’s ok…” Panic gripped her chest and squeezed as tightly as possible around her diaphragm so that when she attempted to take a breath, she felt an unbearable weight pressing her down. “I can’t breathe…”

Ignis sprang to action, dropping to his knees in front of Meryda and pulling her to the edge of her seat so that he was clearly defined in her vision. With his voice low and calm as always, he talked her through the initial stages until her breaths became less labored. “Breathe… Good my Darling. In with me… hold… Out with me… Good.” Going one step further, he put her hand to his chest, letting her feel the way he moved so that it could anchor her.

“Hurts…” She panted, but continued to follow Ignis’ pattern until the weight lifted and she was dizzy with weakness. “It’s better.” She was still panting in exertion like she had run a marathon, but her vision was less narrowed.

Ignis’ green gems were worried, but he stayed crouched in front of her, focusing on this woman for the time being. His concerns may not be assuage today or for days to come, but they would one day soon. “You’re coming to stay with me tonight. I already arranged it with your mother.” That had been his phone call earlier, and he had not asked permission, he had flat out told the woman that Meryda would return home with him. There was no way he was going to leave her to deal with whatever this was on her own. 

Usually she was not a woman to be told what to do, but right now she wanted to lean on his strength a little bit. The insults to her Queen and new King were still dancing through her mind and the fight had taken even her by surprise. Before she knew what was happening she had launched across the table and tackled the other man and then the rest was a blur. Shakily, she reached up to wipe her hair back and off of her face, but it was sticking to her skin from the sweat her panic attack brought on. 

Ignis helped by removing her hands and then gently caressing her dark golden locks back off of her rosy cheeks. He knew she wouldn’t want to talk about what had transpired, but he certainly wasn’t prepared for what happened next. One moment he was settled in front of her smiling in reassurance and in the next he was flat on her back with her insistent lips working his open. She delved in deep, taking hold of his libido only to send it shooting into overdrive.

His hands danced up her sides, pinning one to her hip that had begun to search for pressure where she needed it, and the other against the side of her neck. He had to stop this. “Meryda… Darling…”

“Please Iggy… just make it go away.” He wouldn’t know what, but she did. The phantom of demanding hands curling into her hair, forcing her down until her jaw hurt and her eyes watered as she was used in the way he wanted with no remorse for her feelings or wants. It had been such a shock to her system…

Ignis wanted to fall beneath Meryda’s insistent hands but there was more behind her touch than just desire. There was desperation underneath her fingertips that clawed and demanded he respond. So he did, but not in the way her frightened mind had wanted. Though it was what she needed. “Darling,” He sat up quickly, catching her body so that she didn’t fly off of his lap, and held her close. “Not here… not like this.” They had been together twice now and not for lack of trying on either of their accounts. Between parents, friends and work, intimacy was a difficult prospect. Today was Thursday which meant that none of the usual customers would be banging down their door.

“You don’t want me?” Her voice was weak, filled with anguish that all of her insecurities were right and she was not good enough for this man.

Ignis took his time to caress and touch Meryda’s arms, up to her shoulders and then inward to cradle her neck. He cradled her, worshipped the soft edges of her face with his lips until her tears slowed, and then ever so gently he reclaimed her lips in a kiss that took her breath away. When he withdrew to gaze into her twinkling sky blue eyes, his Meryda was back with him. “There she is…”

“I’m so sorry…” For all of this! For the fact she was a mess and couldn’t get it together when she knew he wanted her. Especially if all of the fun, racy little notes she had been collecting in her lockbox behind a photo of the Strigan family crest in her office. Some had been sweet, and others a bit steamy. Either way they all made her blush.

“Don’t be my Darling. I have had plenty of meetings that have left me out of sorts. It is not often that Noctis calls us in to see to things.” Not that Meryda hadn’t been able, but the two families did not get along and that in and of itself was a recipe for disaster. “Do I need to hurt someone?”

Meryda giggled past the catch in her throat and leaned against Ignis for a hug. “Maybe later. For now your girlfriend needs your attention.”

His fingers trailed up and down the length of her spine in lazy strokes which encouraged her breathing to slip ever deeper into a state of relaxation. “Then she shall have it… always.” He whispered against her ear, lightly using his lips to tease the lobe until she shuddered in his arms. “Shall we go then?”

Meryda nodded but didn’t really feel like forcing her body to move out of this man’s warm embrace. That was something she adored about Ignis, was that he was always so warm and inviting. Most people didn’t think so, which was fine by her. If she could keep this piece of him for herself she would do so. “I don’t wanna get up.”

Ignis chuckled and stood regardless of the grunts of disappointment. He would have scooped her up into his arms, but she vehemently smacked him until he stopped trying, or she was sleeping and couldn’t hit him. She absolutely loathed when he tried to lift her but one day he would get her when she least suspected. “Come then Darling. Home awaits.” Because one day it would be there home. He was personally going to see to it.

Meryda took Ignis’ arm and walked from the meeting room while leaning against him for the final bits of energy she needed to get out of the building. The moment they were closed up in their little world away from the stresses of their day to day lives, Meryda let the bad memories go back to their little box where she housed things she didn’t want to deal with. In their place, was the present and new memories she was making with Ignis.

***********

Maery was finishing up her rounds and making her way to her car when she realized she was not alone in the garage that had all but cleared at this late hour. Her eyes searched for the danger she couldn’t immediately feel, but could possibly manifest. Cautiously she made her way to her vehicle, holding tight to her scythe lest someone jump out of the shadows. No one did, because the person she had sensed was standing beside her car.

Ravus.

Maery sighed in relief and slung her scythe over her shoulder by its strap as she sauntered up to the Prince. “Wrong sister’s car.” 

“Wasn’t looking for Miva. I wanted to talk to you.” The Prince’s brilliant white hair flickered in the lamplight above and then his dual colored gaze reached up from the ground and latched onto Maery. 

The second child in the Strigan line knew an ambush when she saw one and she also knew that she had walked right into the trap Ravus had set for her. “What do you want Ravus.” Hopefully it was nothing she couldn’t give.

“I want to know exactly what Deacon Hollister did to Meryda.” The man moved toward Maery and leaned down so that they were eye to eye, daring her to refuse him.

She certainly did try. Bright eyes filled with wary concern but they did not bow down beneath the pressure that was her Prince. “I don’t know what you mean…”

Ravus grinned. She was going to play hard to get… “You don’t tell me, and I’ll go to Miva, and she will tear everything apart until she knows and we both know what that will lead to.” 

Maery felt like someone had just walked over her grave with the way the Prince stared at her. They both absolutely knew what would happen should Miva get even a hint of a story between their oldest sister and Deacon. What was more, if she turned the Houses inside out trying to ferret the hidden secret out into the open, the hostile peace they survived in would be gone. 

Defeated, she shared the parts she had known, feeling like she was betraying her sister in the worst way, while praying that Ravus would find an understated way to deal with the situation. When she was finished the Prince’s features were twisted into a mask of fury like one she had never witnessed on him before. “You loved her once… didn’t you?”

Ravus turned to go but stopped when Maery’s question reached his ears. “I love her still. Part of me always will, but this life wasn’t made for us. Ignis is her future and Miva is mine.” He had always been up front and honest with the younger sister and where his feelings were for the one that got away. His relationship with Miva had started from a need to have human contact and it built from that place into what they had found together now. He adored the woman and she him and that was enough. “I will handle this. I swear it.” Ravus had always had his suspicions and now they were confirmed.

That foul beast had haunted her younger years, but he would not play spector to her future. That much, he could give her, and Miva would want him to. Without a word, he turned to go, leaving Maery alone in the garage.

Please Astrals make this all okay… 

Though if she didn’t know any better… they were already righting wrongs through Ravus.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own or make money from FFXV or anything affiliated with it.

Meryda’s eyes were narrowed in complete seriousness as she battled her foe with a determination that was channeled from all of the years spent training beneath her mother. Game face fully in place, she noted the evenness of Ignis’ breathing all down to the little twitch of his upper lip. He had a plan… Damn. But she was going to be quicker this time!

“Do you have any fives…” There wasn’t a single set down, she knew he had some!

“Damn!” Ignis tossed a five at Meryda and chuckled when she slammed them down on the living room carpet, her arms up in the air as she bounced up and down on her bottom. 

“YAS!!” She declared, now the one with the most pairs on the board. They had been playing for the past hour while dining on chinese takeout on the living room floor with the radio going on in the background. This had been the exact kind of night she had been needing. “Do you have any threes?” He drawled slowly, using that tone that said he thought he had her.

He did not have her though. “Go fish!”

A few more rounds and she had successfully broken the tie between them and won by two pairs. Meryda jumped up and dumped the handful of cards over Ignis’ head and jumped up and down in glee. “I won I won! Ha ha!”

“Quiet peasant!” He swatted her bottom, which was shaking at him in heinously short shorts that showed off her lower cheeks when she bent over even the slightest bit. 

“You be quiet peasant! For I beat you!” Meryda shrieked when a sudden attack happened on her person as Ignis tackled her to the ground and proceeded to tickle her until she was sobbing through her laughs. “Still… beat… you!” She tried to knock him off, but he had too good of a hold on her and she was exhausted from the day and especially now after the hysterics.

Ignis grinned down at his beautiful girlfriend’s flushed features, her mouth gasping for air, strained around her teeth as she struggled to relax her face. It was useless, he was not going to relent… Or was he?

This was his Meryda… This gorgeous creature beneath him full of life now that she was free from all of the pressures the world put on her. This was how he wanted to see her most when they were together, and while he loved her in all of her forms, this was his favorite because she only showed it to him. 

Meryda stopped laughing now that her tormentor was unmoving above her. Her tank top was twisted about her torso, the thin black material eluding to the skin beneath and her hard nipples that had formed from the chill in the room. The Bahamut blanket Ignis had bought her during her second sleep over as at her back, and perched above her, between her thighs was Ignis.

A pair of low slung sweats that barely stayed on his hips, leading right down to the elegant V that drew the eyes downward. What this man hid away from the world beneath his suits and tailored clothing was almost a sin, considering what Meryda was privy to witnessing whenever she wanted. Lean, compact, muscled flesh covered in a light tan hue, it reminded her of gazing at a marble statue in an elegant pose, designed just for a woman’s admiration. There was nothing left to laugh about as the air charged between them. Thank the Gods that he was shirtless because it was one less obstacle in her way and its absence allowed her to bask in just how gorgeous this man above her was.

Ignis knew Meryda liked to look at him as much as he enjoyed looking at her. His hands were never idle, stroking up and over her knees, down her thick thighs and lower until his palms eased up the front of her body and to her hips. His fingers clutched at the solid structures, applying enough pressure so that any and all tension stored in her, evaporated and then he began all over again. Each sweep up brought him closer and closer to her unbound breasts until at long last he closed his long fingers against the orbs of flesh and gently kneaded them. They had not been intimate very much so far, but he had learned that Meryda loved to simply be touched, though rarely by others. Just him. She would lay contently beneath him, allowing his explorations even when her body no longer wanted to follow his pace. It had nagged him, the information or knowledge, that someone had hurt her at some point in time with the way her eyes watched his every move with such hope. She was looking at him like that tonight..

For Meryda, tt was as if she had lived her whole life without contact and now that she had it she didn’t know how to respond. Almost immediately, from the moment Ignis started up until he built the tempo to a steady rhythm, she was ready and wanting. Her stamina was non-existent for drawn out play, but Ignis never fell into her wants. Or what it is she thought she wanted.

He took his time, tracing intricate patterns into her skin, testing the texture of her muscles and little pockets of excess she had littering her form sometimes with his fingertips, other times with his entire hand, and then the best…

That was when he put his mouth against her skin. Oh he knew just what to do to her. Every romance novel or love story she had gotten caught up experiencing as a third person participant be it through print or cinema had not prepared her for this man. What really attracted her to him was how focused he could be on her wants when his own were so painfully nestled between them. Wiggling her hips, Meryda reached for his forearms and gently squeezed at the precise moment he flicked a puckered bud beneath her thin shirt with the tip of his long angile index finger. “Iggy…”

“Darling?” His glorious baritone was deep and smooth like cool, crisp champagne dripping down her body, bubbling in all of the right places. “Do you want more?”

She nodded, desperately. “Yes....” Despite the chilled air, her body was flushed and more than willing for more. All that he had to give her if she was being completely honest with herself. And sometimes it terrified her, all of the things he made her feel where she had created a safe haven against all of the men who had even attempted to turn her head.

A verbal answer was not given, however the genuine smile that caressed the handsome features haloed in the dim light of the living room lamp, she knew what the choice was. Slowly he pulled himself up on those fantastically long legs and helped her up. Meryda blushed harder at the intent stare coming from twin green eyes as they traipsed back to Ignis’ room. 

There, in the tranquility of Ignis’ bedroom, he took her to bed. Put his hands to work against her body until she was a quivering mess of bone and muscle, pleading for him to come to her. “Iggy please…” She whispered, reaching for his thick locks of blond that were trailing against her breasts as he worked the sensitive orbs with his tongue. Her hips shifted to draw him closer to the center of her body where she wanted him most but he pressed her down so that she couldn’t rub against him.

Ignis trailed his lips to Meryda’s ear and whispered, “Let me love you slowly Darling…” His profile as a lover was to be thorough and ensure his partner was always satisfied to the best of his abilities. With Meryda he wanted to give so much more of himself and her eager touches and words made it near to impossible. “I want to do this properly.” To cherish and adore her with every single ounce of his own person but also the part of his heart that was falling hard and fast.

“Iggy… I just want to feel you. Please.” She was desperate to have him inside of her just so she could feel less empty. 

“And you’ll be good?” Bracing up above the gorgeous creature, her hair splayed across his pillow and her features streaked in the slivers of moonlight peaking past the drawn curtains, he raised a brow. As it was the heat of her body was pressed against him in delicious enticement and he wanted nothing more than to slip within her and join them as one, but Meryda’s patience level was below zero when that moment happened, and he didn’t have the grip on his self control like he so desired. 

Wriggling her hips and being pushed down into the bed a little more firmly, she took a deep breath, absorbing the sensation of her excited breasts and the immense satisfaction she felt crawling up her spine, and then nodded. “I’ll be good.” Using her hands in his hair, she drew him down and gently kissed his mouth. Allowing him access to her own, she moaned softly when Ignis deepended their kiss but did not push him for more. 

When the man was satisfied with his lover’s complacency, Ignis positioned himself at her entrance and slowly slid within her. His eyes were focused with rapt attention on her features, well aware that he was not a small man, and this was their third time being intimate with weeks between them. Whenever she showed a sign of discomfort, he stopped, dotted her beautiful face with kisses and then would start anew when she relaxed. “Sshhh… almost there my darling…” His words whispered across her mouth annd as he returned to their kiss, he slid home until he rested snuggly against her.

“Heavens…” Ignis twitched lightly as Meryda flexed around him, exploring the sensation of him against her with gentle tightening motions against his shaft that made him want to break the promise she had made. He had truly missed her more than he had realized. “You feel amazing my beloved... “

“You too.” Meryda’s desire that had been running rampant while he teased her, ebbed to a light pulse in her veins but it was no less enjoyable. In fact, she liked the effects more than those that made her feel wild and unhinged. Her fingers trembled, and she could feel the impact of his entry of her body all the way from her toes to the hair follicles on her head. Bright blue orbs fought themselves open and there above her were the deep green pools she had been dreaming of when the nights away were too lonely. “Can I try?”

Ignis nodded, and gently rolled them until Meryda was astride his hips and he was pressed into the skin heated bedding where she had once been. With this position he would be able to reach her little button far more easily and she would be allowed to explore to her hearts content. “Just do what pleases you darling.” One hand rested against her hip to feel her when she began to move, while the other trailed from her belly and up until it reached her cheek so that he could hold her in some small way with the distance that now parted them.

The warmth in Ignis’ touch and gaze gave her the bravery she needed to attempt this new position and after a few experimental shifts of her hips she found a languid pace that felt wonderful. Her body was up slightly on her knees, her hands pressed to the toned stomach of her lover, and with the angle there was the most exquisite pressure deep within. Each time his shaft rubbed it, she felt her limbs go weak with a release of tension before the tension returned only for it to be pushed back out of her. 

Not once did Ignis push for more, or encourage her hips to move at a faster pace, he merely laid beneath his nude Goddess, drinking in her abundant curves and softer nature, while letting her lead the moment. “So beautiful…” He praised her softly, using his hand that was not steadying her to touch and play along her skin where she enjoyed to feel him most. 

“Is it… is it ok?”

“It’s perfection my darling. You are perfection. Sitting above me, moving like a Goddess searching for her pleasure. And I am the unworthy fellow you bestowed your grace upon.” HIs eyes drifted shut as her hips slowed and her strokes became harder against his lap. 

“I’m no Goddess…”

“You rival Shiva herself…”

“And are you my Ifrit?”

“Always. Though I promise not to lose my mind and start a war on the mortals.” He chuckled and felt her quiver. “Almost there aren’t you my darling…” He purred, slipping the pad of his thumb between her lower lips and gently applying pressure where he let it build until she was jerking roughly against him. Then all at once, her eyes flew open, head tipped back and the softest, scream echoed out into the night and all Ignis could do was lay beneath her and witness her release in all of its glory. She whimpered and shuddered before bracing herself against his chest so she wouldn’t fall.

His body was on fire with not only her erotic display but the feel of her gripping and rippling over his rock hard piece of anatomy still driven deep within her wet heat. But he didn’t want to interrupt her moment so he waited and when she gazed at him with worry coloring her beautiful eyes, Ignis flipped them both and began to thrust, hard and slow against her giving body. “That was exquisite… you were exquisite.” 

Meryda blushed at the praise but didn’t fight it as Ignis rushed toward his own finish and once he found it in her arms, she caught him and held him tight. “Thank you.” Meryda trailed her lips across Ignis’ sweaty temple, her body still tightly wrapped around his in a bid to keep him close. She had truly missed him.

When his strength returned the handsome tactician eased his shoulders up so that he wasn’t pinning Meryda to the bed and smiled lazily down at her. “I should say that to you.” He whispered, kissing her lips softly before shifting a final time to his side. With careful attention he rubbed at her hip, thigh and inner thigh to help the tension that would surely be there. “Are you all right?”

He always did this. Asked how she was after, and she thought that it would have been annoying, but each time it was sweet. “Are you going to keep asking me this when we have been together for years?”

“Maybe. Do you want me to?”

Meryda’s eyes softened as she gazed up into the endless wonders before her. It felt so easy, so natural to let him take care of her and she just wanted more and more. “Why do you make it so easy?”

Ignis stroked Meryda’s cheek with the back of his long agile fingers and offered another gentle kiss to his Goddess. “Because I care for you. And I will always care for you. You are safe with me Meryda and I know you’re strong. But I also want to be your strength, just like I will need you at times.” And when those times came he would fall into her help kicking and screaming, but he still knew she would be there to deal with his stubborn pride. 

Meryda wanted to say the words that were on the tip of her tongue but knew it was too soon for such sentiments. So instead, she caressed through his dirty blond locks and kissed him with all of the emotion that she didn’t feel she could say at this moment in time.

Once Meryda began to drift off, Ignis withdrew from her arms and went to gather the materials needed to clean them up for a comfortable night’s sleep. The moment he was back in bed, her previous kiss heavy on his mind, he too felt those foreign words rush him and held them tight to his heart. Soon. Soon they would be said.

***

The director of the zoo and the three individual’s in charge of the Tenebraean unit spent most of the morning showing the Prince and Daughter of the Elder Strigan with their entourage the incredible site dedicated to sixteen separate species found in Tenebrae. The domed building that housed the site was a green house to provide the same temperature of the former city so that the foliage could grow just as wild and bountiful. 

Meryda took hold of Ravus’ hand and felt a tear slip down her cheek, feeling like she had stepped from Lucis straight back home. “It’s beautiful.” She whispered past her tears, and gripped the Prince’s hand tighter in a vain hope he would be able to stop the little droplets.

Ravus glanced at Meryda and while he didn’t cry, the release of her emotions on the matter spoke loudly for how he felt inside. Removing his kerchief from the pocket of his black leather pants he dabbed the little droplets away and shared a far too tender smile with the woman beside him. He could feel Ignis’ gaze ready to incinerate him. The fool… didn’t he know that she never looked at her Prince the way she did the advisor. Unfortunately Ignis was not the only one to stare at him with loathing in their gaze, but Hollister was easy enough to ignore. He posed no threat to the Prince. 

“If you’ll come this way we will walk you through the exhibits.” The director was a tall, gangly thing with a large face and few defining features. All a person could really see when he or she looked at him was his bald shiny head. The monotone voice coupled with his massive toothy smile was a major contrast that did not help the whole picture. Though he was very courteous. 

Meryda went first when Ravus held his hand out for her to proceed before him and then fell in line behind her. The entire area was open with various walking paths that allowed the group to roam and explore at their own pace. The rock paths were from Tenebrae, all of the fauna, and even the little details from pictures of the palace gardens had been added throughout. All of the statues had been destroyed, and those that remained or could be repaired had been moved to the citadel. Meryda still couldn’t look at them most days.

At roughly a city block in size, with more wild and dangerous creatures being housed behind glass enclosures, she took her time to visit each and every animal, stopping at the small manmade lake where the Sylley Swan’s were swimming. There were bushes of Ulwaat berries beside the lake and she had the urge to run over and pick some like she would have when she was young. “How many days did you and Luna return only to be covered in those berries.”

Meryda smiled in fond remembrance. “Plenty. We got in a lot of trouble for not eating our supper during the summers.” It had been always been worth it. “We had the best patch where the birds couldn’t get to.”

Ravus grinned knowingly, he had followed them on their little trail many times to ensure their safety, but Meryda had always kept his sister safe. Settling down on the bench beside the lake, he patted the seat beside him. “It’s harder than I anticipated.” 

“Yeah.” Meryda was already crying again and thanked the Prince when he handed her his kerchief a final time saying that she could hold onto it for the rest of the trip. “I miss home.”

Ravus’ heart clenched at the painful reminders her words brought up for him. “I made so many mistakes.”

“Oh Ravus.” Meryda took hold of his agile hands and held them tightly against her cheek, struggling not to sob. “All of it was a mess. We must move on, please. I cannot take people blaming themselves. You did what you needed to do in the end. You are forgiven.”

“By you?” His voice was a tender breeze against the back of her head where he rested his nose to the crown and shakily inhaled. “Everyone has forgiven me… but it is you I must ask for forgiveness.”

“That wasn’t your fault. You told me not to follow you.” And she had. Her relief in seeing him well and alive pushed her right into Ardyn’s grasp and neither of them had been able to do anything to reverse it. At that point the Prince was a double agent, working Niflheim from within and had he tried to rescue her, it would have ended in death for them both. “It barely affects me anymore. Not now that I’m here.” Now that she was here in Lucis, where Ardyn had no real power. “I forgive you Ravus. I never needed to but if you need the words then they are yours.” His fingers stroked against her cheeks despite her grip and then ever so gently he kissed the top of her head.

He had needed her forgiveness mostly because he couldn’t forgive himself and even though he was five years older, for some unknown reason, Meryda had been a constant in his life that kept him grounded. Slowly, she sat up, meeting his teary gaze with a warm smile, and then just as she had always touched him, her hands reached out to stroke away his upset and she pulled him down to her lips. The pressed against his forehead and he felt everything drift away. “Be happy with Miva… stop living with all of this pain. Just be happy Ravus.” 

“I want you to be happy Meryda. Tell me that Ignis gives you that.” He hadn’t lied to Maery when he said part of him still loved Meryda and always would, though Miva did not begrudge him for she too had known love and lost it in the fall of Tenebrae. They had gotten together out of necessity to not be so numb and overtime they had become more. His love for Miva was real, and honest in a way that still amazed him and her love felt the same for him. 

“I am very happy. I think… I love him Ravus. And I don’t know what to do.” She always knew what to do no matter the situation or circumstance but Ignis with his incredible bravado that shook her up in emotionally powerful ways. Without needing to say anything at all, he was showing her that he could be a rock for her when she would need one the most.

Ravus smiled with a bare quirk of his lips, but it was more than he gave most people and Meryda knew that. “Let him love you back. He will. He will do anything you need him to do.” And the Prince was positive he would handle the situation between Hollister and the eldest Strigan daughter that had gone on for far too long. 

The director eventually sauntered over to the two Tenebraean citizens and smiled broadly. “How is it?” His face looked ready to split he was so desperate for appreciation and the final word that this exhibit could go forward with its opening. 

Ravus stood, smoothed down his suit jacket and shook the man’s hand. “It is absolutely perfect. You officially have our seal of approval. We are grateful that you thought to call us down to take in your hard work. It felt like being… home.” 

The director beamed at the Prince and then turned to Meryda who nodded her agreement to the statement. She had truly felt like she had walked back into the corner of Eos that had been all hers throughout childhood. A land that had been draped in beauty and serenity and offered all of that to her inhabitants. For this past hour, just being able to walk around a recreated world, had given her a sense of peace she had not realized she needed. It also set several concerns in her mind to rest. The future was staring her down and she wanted to meet it head on once and for all.

Hollister was watching the two who had once been thought to be the next Prince and Princess of Tenebrae, with no small amount of disgust in his gaze. He would follow his prince to his death if he so commanded, but he could not stand him near Meryda. He couldn’t stand any man near her! She was to be his. And now he had the Hand of the King to fight back too. Dark eyes intent with violence scanned over to the tall, unimposing man who continued to take in the sights while also keeping his attention directed at the woman he was trying to steal from Deacon. He was going to have to take care of him and soon.

“Well.” The director’s voice shifted from complacent to urgent in a matter of seconds as the radio sounded with an emergency transmission. There was a beast out of his compound and a few workers had been in the pen he got into. “We must get you to safety. I have to clear out the zoo and handle this.” He was sweating profusely, clearly panicked, so Ignis stepped in.

“Do you have a response team?”

“Y-yes… “ Nervous in the extreme, the poor director noted a look that passed between Prince Ravus and the Hand of the King. He somehow had a feeling he was no longer in charge. 

“Where are they?” Ignis motioned Meryda to the group and then turned to the assistants to the director. “Do you have a map of the area that the beast has escaped to?

One of the assistants scrambled for her tablet and quickly handed it to the man getting everything situated despite not working there. The other assistant was doing maintenance by ensuring the park was cleared and the status of the pen. “Sir. The park is cleared,” It was mid week so there hadn’t been significant visitors. “There are three workers in the Duplicorn and Spiralcorn enclosures and that’s where she is.”

Usually they kept workers out of the Duplicorn and Spiralcorn pen, but the herd had been taken over by a young Duplicorn that had been raised by the workers so the horde would not attack the workers. Today they had been in to gather cockatrice eggs for incubation. 

“What is she?” Ignis asked, already not liking the idea of three individual’s being stuck in an enclosure for a herd of spiralcorns headed by a duplicorn. 

The woman who set down her tablet for Ignis to look at flicked her worried gaze from the Prince who was intently waiting for an answer as well, and tried to blend into the floor. “A wyvern.”

Meryda sighed. “A Wyvern… here?” They were nearly impossible to take care of because they were impossible to find, therefore they were rarely worked with. “How did you get one of those?”

“She was found far from the mountains by a hunter. He sedated her and called us. She was young still and both of her wings were broken. Our board decided to bring her in.” It had been a great attraction to boast about, but right about now it wasn’t looking so good.

Ravus held his hand up to quiet Meryda and watched as Hollister sauntered up to the group with a suggestion on his tongue. “Meryda and I are both good shots. If we can get in and take her down with some tranqs while Ignis and Ravus try to get the workers out, I think we can solve the problem.” 

Meryda’s eyes narrowed at the man who was rarely so helpful, but she did have to admit, it was a clean cut idea that would possibly save lives. “Where is your team.” The director had mentioned they had one earlier.

“They are… not on campus. We had to send them out to collect a dangerous specimen.” 

Ignis’ gaze turned dark. “You have a wyvern, a notoriously wild animal that has never been in captivity and you sent your response team off site?” The director visibly blanched at the scolding, but it did not stop Ignis from pinning him with a glare of fury for such childish choices.

Meryda motioned for the other assistant. “What’s the status, does anyone have eyes on her?”

“The workers said that they saw her in the forests. Right now they are hiding in a cave that is too small for her to get into. Her wings are permanently damaged and since being here for the past few months, she still can’t climb very well.”

So there were high points. That was promising. “Where are the outcroppings?” 

“There are two. One parallel to the entrance of the pen where the herd usually stays, and one midway between the entrance and the other formation. They are both low enough in the tree line for you to see the forest floor, but far too steep for her to climb.”

Meryda studied the points on the small map and nodded. At least they had this going for them. “Ok. Get us tranq guns and some extra shots. Where is the cave where the others are hiding?”

“Below the midway outcropping toward the back of the enclosure.” The woman pointed to the location on the map for good measure.

“Good.” Meryda glanced up at Ignis, Ravus and Deacon. “Ignis and Ravus can go for the group. I’ll get on the midway outcrop and Deacon you head for the second. Do you think you can draw attention to yourself to get her to come out?”

“Sure.” He drawled out nice and slow, his eyes intent on Meryda in ways that made the two women who didn’t know him very uncomfortable. They had both noticed that he was a handsome man in his own rights, but there was something almost, slimy about him that gave the woman pause. They had done everything in their power to stay away from him the entire morning.

The director returned with two tranquilizer guns and a holster of extra shots. “The vets said that it took four of these to put her down. Please try not to use more than that.” He begged while he handed them off to the woman and tall dark haired man.

The enclosure for the duplicorn’s herd was immediately down the path and then a sharp left for the doors. It was a large square building with viewing windows around the circumference and then even more on a walkway about three stories up if people wanted to view the creatures at a run. The Director unlocked the employee entrance and offered a few other weapons to the two men who would rescue the workers. 

“Thank you, we’ll be fine.” Ignis summoned his pole arm and Ravus his sword, though they were only for protection, not to bring down an animal. Once the group was through the door it was shut and locked behind them. “All right. Let’s cover extra ground. We’ll get Meryda to her area and then you go the other direction to get to your spot.” Ravus knew it was risky to split up but Deacon was foolish enough to do it without offering a single complaint. 

Hollister’s glare landed on Meryda and she was certain he had made an air kiss at her before he disappeared on foot into the brush lining the far walls. The enclosure was a fair size for large animals, roughly a mile in diameter and about thirty feet height with a glass dome ceiling. The other three set off to their area though they didn’t see her the entire time they moved. “Where is she.” Meryda whispered as they crouched by the outcropping.

“Probably further back in the trees.” Ravus got a good look of the rock formation and noticed that there was a rather easy spot to climb up. Meryda had always hated heights. “I can go. You and Ignis can get the others back.”

Meryda shook her head. “And have a dead wyvern? You can’t shoot for shit Ravus.” He was an excellent swordsman and could easily win during a 20 on 1 battle. But shooting a gun was not his specialty.

Neither Ravus or Ignis wanted to leave Meryda out this far with Deacon in the mix, but she was the best possibility to get the situation handled and that was their goal. Ignis leaned closer to his girlfriend and put his hand on her shoulder for attention. “We will get the group back to safety and then come back for you.” Hide! He wanted to tell her should they arrive after Deacon, but he couldn’t bring himself to panic and spout the words. Still, the look of desperate hope was in his eyes that she would be careful.

And she would. But she was also going to use this moment to her advantage. All morning long Deacon had followed her and every step she made whether he was near or far. There had been times she had been friendly with men in the past, but they always found new friends or drifted away from her all together. He had poisoned them and judging by how he continued to look at Ignis like he wished the man was a stain of blood on the ground, she knew he would resort to stronger measures to keep Ignis away. Meryda wasn’t fearful of Deacon actually being able to do anything to him, but she was mad to think he would try. Ignis was hers, and she would be his and it was time this man left her alone.

Kissing Ignis on the cheek for his worry, which she never did when they were out on official business, she got up from the brush and began to scale the formation. Her gun slung over her back she scrambled up relatively quickly and laid down on her belly after situating the weapon on its stand. With her scope lined up facing the area Deacon should be appearing any moment. When he was she positioned her earpiece and set the station. “He’s there.” 

Ignis and Ravus waited for the confirmation and then quickly got the zoo workers tucked back in the small cave they had hid inside. They each had a pack with eggs inside so the return back would be slower than their arrival. Eventually they made it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meryda finally has her say

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own nor do I profit from anything relating to FFXV or Square Enix.

Ignis had watched the Prince all morning and despite feeling very secure in his short relationship with Meryda, there was something in the other man’s mannerisms that dug deep under his skin. “Are you going to be a problem for me?” He asked quietly, swinging his polearm around to get a feel for the heavier weapon. Usually he used it as a throw weapon and it had been a while since he last used it for blocking. Not that he didn’t know how, but most of his fighting was done up close and personal with his daggers. 

Ravus turned to look at the Crownsguard. The man’s features were unreadable and consistently stoic as much as they always were, but there had been a sharpness in his tone that belied the calm facade he wore. “I have always appreciated that you get right down to business instead of trying to tip toe around the issue.” He turned his face upward and listening to the sound of the creatures moving in the distance, trying to find a different sound amongst the hooves beating. She was probably hiding.

“We’ll need bait.” Ravus replied off hand, not really sure if he wanted to let Ignis off the hook so soon even if he already had an answer.

“I already handled that. They will be releasing prey shortly.” Live prey was the best, something slow and stupid so that the wyvern could still feel like the predator it was. Off to the side a trap door was open and then the clanging of three more doors sounded around the pen which signaled that their bait was on its way. They would have to wait until the beast was down before they could get back out to Meryda.

The Prince watched Ignis closely as the minutes ticked on and his agitation continued to grow at not being able to get out in the field even though he would have been capable of handling himself should an animal attack. “No. You don’t have to worry about me. I am with Miva and that won’t change.”

“That is presumptuous.” Ignis sneered and flicked a heavy look at the other man. “When we want something we try to obtain it no matter the cost.”

Ravus grinned despite himself. “I won’t obtain her. She has chosen. And she has chosen you. I wish for her to be happy Ignis. She deserves it, and unfortunately for me, it is you who can give her what I cannot.” He lost her years ago when he left for Niflheim even though they had taken Tenebrae. She had known that his anger drove him to them, pushed him ever onward to fight against Lucis with everything he had. Meryda had forgiven him those trespasses, but she could not forget them. “She’ll never be mine.” And that was how it was meant to be. He had Miva, who understood him on a level Meryda couldn’t allow of herself, and he never blamed her for that. All Ravus wanted was for her to be happy. 

The words were said with such honest finality that Ignis did not doubt the Prince of Tenebrae. Whereas most men would have lied to his face and then snuck around behind his back, Ravus was not that way. Yet, somehow he felt sorry for the other man who would never know the intimacy of Meryda’s love and devotion when he could have easily had it. “Good.” Was all he said on the matter before he refocused his attention to the happenings of the pen.

They had probably been laying still for close to thirty minutes when a rustling happened beneath Meryda and out popped a fattened cow for the slaughter. “You see her? I just heard her move. She’s headed toward you.” A sheep, hog, deer and cow were all sent out but it seemed like the wyvern was most interested in the cow. 

Meryda saw her slipping about in the tree line, sizing up the animal who was completely oblivious to her and waited. “Clear shots as best we can. Get it into the bloodstream fast.” Neck or legs would do the trick, but it would be best to avoid her back where her scales were thicker. 

“After you.” Deacon purred, but Meryda didn’t even bat an eye. Long ago the sound of his voice made her want to rip at her flesh, but now it just made her angry. 

The wyvern, despite her wings being broken, was fast and quick with her prey. She downed the animal so fast Meryda barely had time to blink. It took that split second for the beast to whirl away and give her a clear shot at her neck. Meryda fired.

Hit 1

The wyvern dropped her prize and whipped her tail harshly against the ground, sending up dirt and rocks. “Vision is impaired. Take a hit.”

“Got her.” Another shot sounded and the high pitched screams grew in crescendo. After a few moments it was clear that she was losing her senses, the sound of her tail was a mere thump instead of the thrashing lash it had been. 

“One more and she’s done. I still have too much dust.” The blue scaled wyvern was just below judging by the closeness of the shouts of protests. Meryda packed up her gun and slid down off of her outcropping, aware she would need the maximum time possible to prepare. Taking one of the darts from her holster, she ripped the clear white liquid which was a potent tranquilizer, the darker liquid in the other chamber was a well used paralyzer that was often used with large beasts.

The final shot rang out and once she hit the ground, Meryda sprinted for the shrubbery she had been in when they had surveyed the area for the creature who had escaped. “Got her. I’ll be coming to get you.” Deacon’s voice was predatory in nature and Meryda listened to every single movement he made in his bid to make it to her side as fast as humanly possible.

Snapping the vile open with the paralyzing agent, she slathered it on the blade she she been given from Ravus when she was eleven years old and waited. The other two men were in route, she could practically feel them pushing to get to her, but Deacon would arrive first. And she was ready.

***

Deacon hit the small clearing where he was anticipating Meryda to be waiting and smirked when he didn’t immediately see her. Switching off his ear piece, he grinned like the big bad wolf and slowed his pace. “Well well… come out come out wherever you are.” He singsonged to her, his voice dripping with dark glee.

Where was she? “This is too fun Meryda. Oh I’ve been waiting for you for a while… It’s taken a long time, but I knew you’d come back if I pressed just enough.” He had always pressed by looking out for her and scaring away the other men who thought to get close. They made sense…

Her and that Lucian bastard didn’t! Couldn’t she see how she was polluting her Tenebraean heritage and her House by being with him? What if they wanted to marry… or worse, have children! He couldn’t bear the thought of anyone touching her besides him and if the rumors were true then she was still untouched.

“You know we are right together. We make sense Meryda. We do. Not you and him.” He hissed between his teeth as his anger made itself known. “You’ve wasted so much time… I don’t know why you have fought me for so long. You made me happy… you were perfect.” And she could be again.

Deacon never saw the attack coming. She moved to a crouch and shot out when the man turned his back, knocking his feet out from under him so that he hit the ground with a hard thud. He reached for her but she danced back out of his way and launched her blade at him.

Hollister hissed out his pain as the blade sliced across his palm with the deflection, but it wasn’t enough to stop him. He pinned his gaze on Meryda and smiled wickedly. “There she is. My pretty girl…”

“You’re pretty nothing.” Meryda kept her distance and when he tried to dance closer, she would back out of the way. He was quicker than she was, but she just had to last a little longer. 

A pleased smile found its way onto his face, completely unaware of what she had done. “Oh no. You’re my girl. Always have been.” He tossed his gun to the ground and made his advance. “Don’t you remember those nights? They were everything.”

Everything she had never wanted. “I remember.” Meryda whispered in silent rage, “I remember you calling me names, and telling me how I could be prettier if I tried. How other girls were pleasing their boyfriends. I remember your hands in my hair pushing my head down on you. I remember crying and not being able to breathe, but all you could do was thrust into my face until you came.” Then he would get up, not even kiss her, and leave once he was sated. He had never offered to reciprocate or apologized or even gave her a backward glance.

“You pleased me.” What was hard about this? His pleasure had been hers. What an honor he had bestowed on her.

“You never pleased me. You made me feel like shit.” The first time she had refused him he had hit her, and that was when Maery came in. That night she was free. “I was so happy when Maery found out.”

Deacon had always loathed her sister for that and the ass kicking she had given him. Stalking around her, sizing up the space between them, Deacon growled. “She ruined us, ruined me for you.”

“YOU RUINED YOU!” Meryda screamed out through the tears of complete fury that had overtaken her. She was trembling and shaking beneath it all. “And you think my mother would have allowed it? She hates you and your family. She would rather have me marry a Lucian bastard that you.”

Deacon’s eyes shifted from cold malice to unchecked outrage. With a scream he charged her and just as he reached for her shirt, almost getting his fingers into it, she raised the butt of her gun and jammed it hard in his face. The crack of his nose sounded off in her ears followed by a shallow grunt and then he was on the ground. When he attempted to rise, the agent had already kicked in and he was unable to get up. “What have you done bitch.”

“It doesn’t matter. What I’m going to do is let you live even though Ravus wouldn’t give a shit if I offed you right now. It could’ve been the Wyvern. Or I can shame your name by stating the truth. That you attacked me.” Her mother would have a field day tearing down the Hollister House piece by piece if she ever knew about Deacon. As it was, he was lucky she had never told because Luna would have stripped him of his titles and banished him. There was no way his house would bounce back from such a scandal.

Crouching down beside him, resetting his nose and relishing the sound of his scream, she slapped him on the cheek and smiled. “You are going to leave me alone from here on out. If you don’t, I will tell Ravus to ruin you. And we both know my mother won’t hold back. You almost broke me Deacon, but I couldn’t have forgiven myself if I had let you. You’re just a bully, and my mother raised me better. Leave me alone Deacon. I mean it.” There was a promise of death in her eyes should he not. 

Standing, Meryda turned to see both Ravus and Ignis in the clearing appearing as though they had just breeched the bushes when she knew they had arrived and let her finish the interlude. Without another word she passed Ravus and Ignis and didn’t stop moving until she was back in the town car that had brought her there.

She was silent the entire way back to the Citadel and only when she arrived in the solitude of her office, did she sit and have a good cry. The rush of adrenaline coupled with the freeing release of getting that man off of her back when she had lived close to 15 years beneath the weight of his gaze, she couldn’t stop herself. But she wasn’t alone long.

Ignis let himself into Meryda’s office by way of their joint bathroom and immediately came to her where she sat on the couch tucked in the corner of her bookshelf lined walls. He said nothing about her tears or the entire situation that had just happened, Ignis just pulled her against his body and held her through the outpouring of emotional pain that she had held on for too long. “I’m here my darling… I’m here.” He whispered quietly against her hair.

**

By the end of day the announcement had been made that Deacon Hollister was no longer a part of Prince Ravus Nox Fleuret’s entourage, nor was he allowed back at the Citadel. The reason was not stated as to why, but most of the citizens of Tenebrae didn’t need one. A royal kicking you out of their presence was a permanent black mark on a person’s name for all to see and know.

Ignis hung up the phone after the sixth call for comment from the Tenebrae reporters that had gotten up and running again by way of branching off of the Crown City Creed with a six page spread. The entire time he answered Meryda’s phone, she slept so deeply that he couldn’t bare to wake her. A few seconds later another call beeped in and she began to stir. HIs attention focused on the caller long enough to take the mental notes of an important task, and then he hung up and returned to Meryda’s side. “Darling,” His eyes were soft with worry, but he had no other words to offer at the moment.

“Head… light.” She groaned.

Ignis shut the lights off in a flash and then retrieved a few painkillers and water so she could take them. When she was finished, he sat down and guided her head into his lap. Stroking his fingers through her soft golden tresses, he kept his silence, though there were plenty of questions to be asked.

“How much?” Meryda eventually asked.

“All of it.” The entire sordid story. The forced claim Deacon tried to pin on her all down to the force sexual encounters he had put her through. He knew he had been her first, but for some reason he had never imagined that she had been violated. Her imposed celibacy made sense now. “I want to kill him.”

“He isn’t worth it.”

Ignis couldn’t fully agree. If there was one thing he abhorred more on this planet it was sexual violence against a woman. A real man would never harm a woman, period. 

“You being protective makes me feel better.” Meryda murmured now that her head was hurting less and Ignis’ fingers through her hair was calming her overworked nerves. She concentrated wholly on the elegant digits and how they felt against her. There was possession in his touch, but it was never forceful and that was why she felt so safe with Ignis. “It doesn’t bother me that much anymore. Just when I see him. I know you would never.” It had never crossed her mind or concerned her one bit when she was with Ignis. Especially after the first time. Their encounter hadn’t been excruciating, but he was large and being so unaccustomed to a man in that general region, it had been uncomfortable and still could be at the start. Ignis always took care of her and even offered to stop when she was uncomfortable.

“Truly?” 

Meryda nodded. “Truly.” She reached for his free hand and drew it up onto her chest. The weight grounded her to the present and calmed the last bits of frayed nerves. “I trust you Ignis. You’ll have to just take it easy with me at times.” Which she knew he would.

The two remained in the darkness of the office until it was safe to leave once the news crews were welcomed into the citadel for questioning and were no longer hanging around outside. Ignis drove Meryda home and walked her up to her apartment where he tucked her into bed and bid her a goodnight. He did not take it personally that she wanted to be with her family because he had plans with Gladio and it involved a few drinks and probably a little training to get the anger out of his system.

He bid Meryda’s sisters a good night and headed down to his car where a woman was waiting for him. She lit a cigar and with a flourish of smoke from her lips, turned and smirked. Though Ignis wasn’t sure it was a kind gesture. “Thought I’d save myself some time since you were here.” Myori offered the man her cigar but Ignis declined with a motion of his hand.

“And what is it that you had to say to me that could not be said over the phone?” There was a suitable distance between them, but not so much so as not to have a private discussion.

Myori took another puff and looked toward the skies. “Heard about Hollister.”

“I’m sure you did.”

“What happened?”

Ignis scoffed and levelled a smirk at the Matriarch. “You know I won’t share that.” Besides, he had a feeling she already had an idea. “I’m surprised you never did anything.”

“Oh I wanted to. But I knew my baby could handle it. She needed to or he would never leave her.” The woman didn’t know the details but she had known enough to be very aware that should she ever find out the entire truth, she would skin the little weasel alive with her sword. 

“I have until July.” She remarked off handedly though there was nothing unimposing in her tone.

“And it is April.” They had begun their relationship at the end of January, but February had flown past them with his birthday being celebrated quite late due to business. March had been fruitful between them and now here they were in April. More knowledge had been gained, and he felt more strongly than ever for Meryda. 

“I don’t think I’m going to win.” Which was not fun for Myori to admit even though this boy was growing on her in the worst of ways. 

Green eyes flashed at the challenge, because there was no way she was going down without a fight. “You won’t.” He promised, and received the promise of battle in her knowing eyes. 

“Name your terms. For today… you earned it.” She would do this for her daughter because whether she liked it or not, Ignis was her future and there was no stopping that.

After a few moments they agreed on Saturday nights after supper and the potential for two nights a week instead of just one and Sunday. Myori moved from the drivers side door and shut it after Ignis was inside. “I look forward to the battle Ignis.”

“As do I Myori. As do I.” Starting the engine of the smooth machine, he waived his goodbye’s and pulled out onto the darkened street. A small victory had been won against the Strigan elder, and a personal war was now over for his beloved. Despite the anger he felt for the events that had transpired so many years ago, the reality of the future made him happy.

*******

Myori kissed her daughter goodnight after a small talk and once she had cleared the apartment the sisters rushed in like they always did when one of them was upset and spent the entire night holding and comforting Meryda.

“You’re not going to win huh?” Her brother called when she strode back into her apartment. Turning she caught sight of him and shrugged. 

“Probably not.” And then she shut the door.

No, Myori knew she wasn’t going to win and she would be welcoming a Lucian Crownsguard into her family in the future, but she couldn’t exactly find it in her to be made about tonight.

He was growing on her…

Damn.

(END)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Epilogue... a little bit of couple time...
> 
> Smut smut smut... Just so you know!

A few weeks later...

“Welcome home.” Meryda’s voice cascaded down around the Crownsguard to pull him from the wariness that had taken hold of him for the whole day. The quality was deeper and huskier which wrapped around her soft alto and sent a jolt of electricity straight down his spine.

Ignis glanced up to see Meryda dressed in something he had never anticipated her to wear in a million years. Though he was thanking the Astrals for his good fortune. Eyes ravenous, he stopped dead inside the door and nearly dropped his briefcase that was over crammed with files and simply stared at the woman on display. “Heavens…” He murmured as he drank her in through sight alone though he very much wanted to absorb her through his other senses.

Swathed in black lace from her neck to the tops edges of her upper thighs, there wasn’t a piece of her that he could not see as said lace was very sheer. Her legs were glimmering beneath the apartment lights, which meant they were smooth from a waxing, and even her toenails had been painted matte black for the event she had obviously planned without him. This time when he reached to loosen his tie it was for a completely different reason than the stress of his day.

Words didn’t want to seem to form on his mouth as the look of this gorgeous creature, her hair styled with wild curls and her features slashed with makeup that made her sky like gems radiate from her face, took possession of his faculties and he begged the question, how could he hope to speak? The only thing he wanted was to take her. Now. With abandon. Usually he was in such control of himself but he had just never anticipated Meryda to try and seduce him this early on.

Meryda stayed stock still as Ignis approached, forgetting his things on the ground in very uncharacteristic heaps and by the time he reached her, the tie was held in his hand and the first few buttons of his shirt were already pulled apart to reveal the slash of scars she enjoyed touching on his left pectoral. It was a burn mark, much like the one that had previously graced his left eye, but that one had become a mere outline once Luna repaired his sight. He was too much for her senses and he knew it.

Hand on her hip, the other came up to lightly play with the skull pendant hanging in the dip between his collar bones. It was a boring Wednesday night, or at least it was supposed to be, which was why she had planned this little event that was unfolding rapidly. “Supper is in the oven to keep it warm, there’s a bottle of red wine opened on the counter and Dessert is in the fridge.”

Speech found the Advisor once more as Meryda’s glossed lips trailed his jaw line, “Dessert is in front of me.” He nearly growled, his green eyes filled with lust and possession. Two weeks ago he had found out about the boyfriend she never spoke of, and the real reason for her celibacy. Perhaps not the entire reason, but a good portion of it, at least in his mind. Meryda didn’t discuss things that were uncomfortable and often hid them down deep and away. What he had ended up learning had made him insanely angry and it had been rather hard to deal with the feelings that came because there was nothing he could do. Revenge had been exacted in Meryda’s way, but Ignis felt like things were not resolved.

He could not stand that Hollister had hurt her and ever since he had found out, all he had been dreaming of when she was close was pinning her beneath him and retraining her body to know what pleasure was. What it was always supposed to be and that in his arms she would have more than she would know what to do with. Putting his hand against the counter top so the curvy Goddess was trapped between himself and said counter, he breathed her in and whispered, “May I have my dessert?”

Usually Ignis was never so forward and it startled her slightly from the state of seduction she had been vying for into an interesting level of vulnerability. She felt like he would devour her at any minute, and his passion was a rush she wanted to ride until the end of the line. Technically she had done this for him not herself, but it was hard not to get lost when he was all but ravaging her through sight alone. Jilly had helped her pick out something sexy, a bit demure, and comfortable should it be decided that he wanted the full effect of the play this evening. However, it seemed that he wanted to skip past everything she had rehearsed and get right to the main event.

Meryda didn’t mind one bit. “Are you sure?” Her voice quivered as his mouth latched to her throat and his tongue laid flat to lap at her skin in a slow easy stroke. One hand came up to grip Ignis’ shoulder in a bid for stability should her knees give way from beneath her, which was seeming more and more like a possibility.

There were questions the man felt that he needed to ask for his rational mind that was worried to bring harm to this woman. The other part of him that desired her satisfaction and trust urged him to take all that she was offering. All of it. 

Forgoing a response, Ignis bent to Meryda’s lips and plundered past them, keeping the touch overwhelming so that she was slack in his arms. He knew just how she liked to be kissed, such as right now, he let his tongue dance with hers in a slow rhythm and then gently encouraged hers into his own mouth where he sucked lightly before releasing her. Cradled against his body, his hands firmly beneath her lace covered behind, he watched her dazed blue eyes open as her face was consumed with a bright red flush that signalled her willingness to participate further.

“Mmmmmm…. Iggy.” She leaned back down to him, offering the same treatments he had given her and this time when he withdrew, she was spread out on the end of the table that hadn’t been set. Her entire upper body was covered in the beautiful black lace panel with small snaps holding it closed all the way down to the center of her body. Trailing his hands with strong glides up her bent knees, down to her thighs and then up the expanse of her rounded belly, he continued onward against her breasts and then along her shoulders and back down to the slender wrists just before squeezing her hands. Ignis repeated this action three or four more times until Meryda was loose and her breathing had deepened. “Do you trust me?” 

Meryda wasn’t a fool to expect a man like Ignis to let something go when he had wind of it. The fact that he did not like Hollister’s presence in the Citadel coupled with the fact that he was a dark spot in her life was an aggravating notion. The situation was out of his hands for the moment which mean he did not have the control, nor had he been able to give a final word. So, she wasn’t entirely surprised when he became a little more clingy and slightly overbearing if men became rude or offensive in her presence. The truth of the matter was, that she was nervous to explore deeper into their sexual relationship, but she did trust him with her life. Meryda knew he would never hurt her. 

“I do Ignis.” She held his darkened gaze, shivering under the intensity that made her feel like she was caught in the hunter’s trap and he was the hunter. Forever an enigmatic presence, it doubled when Ignis was in tight control of himself like this and it made her body pulse with desire. 

Ignis finished the final buttons on his shirt and let it drop off of his arms carelessly and flit to the ground. Meryda’s eyes widened ever so slightly, drinking him in all the while he absorbed the image she presented. Her bottom was right up to the edge of the table, with her knees bent for the moment, though he had plans for them. The hard wood of the table was covered in a pure white tablecloth that he kept for special events and he considered this to be one. “Good.” Ignis stepped away for mere moments, gathering a few dish cloths and returned. Had he been fully prepared he would have had something far more appealing for the restraints but this would do.

Meryda watched Ignis gently place her wrists to the edges of the table and then tie them with the dish clothes securely through the intricately carved section that ran along the underside of the wooden structure. When she was secure, though as she checked the restraints it was apparent Ignis had left her plenty of wiggle room, she took a calming breath and smiled at her lover. He held his tie up and she nodded.

Securing the silk cravat around Meryda’s eyes, he finished the hindrance of her senses and abilities and then picked back up on his firm rub across her skin until she was calm once again. “This is all for you my Darling… If you do not like something you tell me, hmm?”

Licking her lips, she nodded, her body shifting to feel the sweet friction of his palms against her nipples that were already hardening. “I take it, I'm at your mercy?”

“You are mine. To please. To be pleased…” To experience everything she once shied away from but would hopefully ask for in the future. Meryda was terribly reserved and there were few explorations she had allowed him either due to the fact she was shy or fearful to disgust him. Tonight he would wash those fears away.

As he continued, his touch lightened so that he cuold enjoy the tickling way the slightly rough fabric caressed over his palms and fingertips, pulling at the nerves there and then all the way up his arms, cascading all over him. “Astral’s you are gorgeous.” She couldn’t see, or think to touch him, therefore he would use touch and his voice to light a fire within her. When he leaned down to rub his face lovingly down to the inside of her thigh, he stopped at the thick panel that covered her wet core from view, but he could smell her. “And ready for me.”

“I’ve been ready… “

“Have you? Tell me… did you get excited dressing up for me? Planning this interlude?” He purred, this time parting his lips to lick at the thick material against her center which garnered him only a small taste.

Meryda tried to push her legs shut, but Ignis had put his shoulders between them so all she could do was squeeze around him. “Iggy…”

“Ssshhh...You said you trusted me. Give into me Meryda I swear you won’t be disappointed.” It went unspoken that if she was he would stop immediately. 

Eventually she nodded, licking her lips in anticipation. His hands had never stopped rubbing or lightly touching her body, even down to the tips of her toes where he trailed a digit inward to trace the arch of her foot, to her ankle, and then back up the length of her. Trying to distract herself from the ache brewing beneath her skin, she replied to his earlier question. Jilly had given her a few lessons on dirty talk that didn’t make her blush horribly, and now was a good time to try it out. “And yes… I did get excited. I came home… made your supper and then went into your room… shed all of my clothes… showered and dried off with your towel.” 

Ignis groaned, nipping at the edge of the lace against her thigh, then he slid his tongue beneath it and trailed it back inward which earned him a soft sigh from her plump lips. “Go on…”

Those hands were almost too distracting and when he realized she was a bit too addled, they drifted away from her breasts to roam beneath her frame where he planted them against her bottom and squeezed. Inhaling sharply, Meryda shuddered as Ignis began to nuzzle her belly. There was relief for the few moments that he was leaving the part of her body that was screaming at him to touch it alone, though, it would not last for long. Tonight was going to test her boundaries. “I took my time. Blow drying my hair… putting on my makeup completely nude in front of your mirror.”

A sharp huff of breath fanned out over Meryda’s stomach at the image of what she must have looked like, all dolled up, without a scrap of fabric on her yet. A new image flickered to life behind his eyes and the final moments of the evening were solidified directly after. “And then…” Dragging his lips against her ribcage, he nuzzled the underside of one breast with his nose and lightly mouthed at it. 

“And then… I took this out of the bag, that I bought today… for you… and I slipped it on. It felt soft and a little scratchy against me. It made my nipples hard and I started to get wet thinking about what your mouth would feel like sucking on them with this fabric between us.” Meryda was panting and then stopped breathing all together as Ignis covered the little rosy bud and sucked softly against it. Had her eyes not been covered he would have seen them roll back into her head. 

A soft bite signaled he had finished with one, before he shifted and praised the other for waiting its turn. Unable to stop herself, though the fact that he was grinding down against her wet heat with his slacks and this damned lace blocking him entry, her legs wrapped around Ignis’ waist, but he returned her feet back to the edge and decided to reward her for such bold words. “How did my mouth feel then my Darling?” He asked wickedly, dragging his mouth back down from the orbs that fit perfectly in his large palms, and back lower to the area that was fully awakened. 

Meryda shuddered when Ignis’ nose grazed her soft mound, and then she felt him shift away from her in a way that brought him closer, but took other pressures away. Was he sitting? No… be brave. Gripping at the dish towels around her wrists, she took in a deep breath and began quietly. “It was amazing… the lace was damp and rubbed when you would suck causing two sensations that rippled through me but it aches now… there…”

“Where?” Ignis knew where but he wanted her to say it. He wanted her to ask for her pleasure which was the only reason he had allowed her to speak tonight. Had he truly desired her full submission she would already be writhing beneath him reaching for the pinnacle of her second orgasm. He situated his chair so that he was back between her thighs though instead of offering attention to her neglected body, he turned it to her feet. Picking one up from the edge, he tickled at her small toes and then tested the texture of her soles with the tip of his index finger. When he was finished with his wanderings, he kissed the edge lightly, licked her ankle and repeated the same gesture with the other while he waited for her to respond.

Men had paid attention to her breasts, though they weren’t abundant for someone her size, still they were satisfactory, her ass, and her eyes, but they had never touched her to this extent. Granted she never got close enough because she hadn't been interested in a one sided romp. Just when she thought Ignis couldn’t possibly arouse her further, he proved her oh so wrong. Was the ankle an erogenous zone? “Between my thighs…” He trailed the indent of her inner thigh and it made her whine. “Higher.” He moved higher, but straight up, not diagonally. A few more failed directions had her almost screaming in frustration and finally she whimpered out, “Not there Ignis! Between my thighs… where I want you to fill me, where I’m wet for you… inside of my puss…” Her words died to moans as Ignis slid one longer finger between the clasps holding the lace together and delved right into her tight hot channel.

“Sshhhh..” He breathed against his perch at her knee, watching his finger pump in and out of her body with a slow rhythm that was exactly what he wanted to feel on the very hard part of his anatomy that was painfully confined to his pants. Her curls were drenched and her smell was permeating the air, making him want to moan in pained bliss. If he could bury himself inside of her right this instant and take her to the heights of passion unknownn he would… but he wasn’t finished.

Neither of them were finished.

Meryda dropped her thighs open wider in desperation to feel more, but with how wet she was, one finger wasn’t close enough to sate her. And Ignis knew it. “Oh God Iggy please…” Her brows creased, head leaning upward in an attempt to shift her body down but she was completely unable past the shaking in her limbs and the adequate restraint of her wrists now that she was overrun by sensation. The scratch and pull of the towels aggravated her nerves, while the lace had suddenly become a tormenter instead of something pleasant. 

Baring his teeth, Ignis bit against the smooth flesh of her thigh and then nipped at the top of the panel of lace that was soaked with her fluids. Taking pity on them both, Ignis slid a second finger inside of her and reveled in her soft grunts of relief. The sounds, the feel! All of it was pushing and pulling at his self control and the thrill was a fast car flying down the road at 150 miles per hour. “You’re exquisite… So responsive… so trusting.” That was a heady mix for him. The fact that she did indeed trust him and had allowed him to go this far meant more to him than she would ever know.

Meryda was so far gone at this point that all she wanted to do was come. Those insecurities she had clung to didn’t exist and so she stuttered out… though still a little timid in her approach, “Iggy… will you…. Will you please…”

“Please? My darling?” He cooed as he dragged his teeth up her thigh and all but growled when he sunk a third digit into her and she produced a light squeal that shot straight to his strangled shaft. 

“Would you… I want you to… Would you kiss me there?” She wasn’t sure how to ask because it had never been something she had thought to ask a man. Not that she hadn’t dreamed of it or imagined what it would be like, or even enjoyed seeing it in dirty movies, but part of her didn’t feel worthy of something so intimate.

Ignis’ pride roared out its pleasure that she had requested something he very much enjoyed doing but had refrained from so as not to push her. Without preamble, Ignis withdrew his fingers and ripped open the clasps that covered her from view. Time slowed as he placed both hands against her lips, parted the blushing gates, and leaned in to offer a kiss like he would have given her mouth. It was deep, explorative and better than he ever imagined.

Meryda went slack against the table and keened out a high pitched whimper. Her legs were cramping but she didn’t care. “Oh Gods Iggy that is the most amazing thing…” She couldn’t breathe…

A grin laced the Advisor’s stoic features, and reaching out he took her legs to drape them over his shoulders and delved into his dessert. Not once did he fill her, for he wanted her final orgasm of the night to be with him. Instead, he kissed, licked, and slid his tongue within her gushing opening to lap up everything she had to give before repeating. He was thorough in exploring her swollen lips and everything in between until only her little button of nerves was last. When he attacked them, it started out painfully light and only grew in pressure until he had her screaming with abandon up to the ceiling as she came hard.

He had built her up so that by the time she had reached her finish, Meryda was aching for more. He had not filled her nor had he sated her and if she were in her right mind instead of drugged with bliss, she would have scolded him for such cruelty. Barely given time to come down, Ignis ripped away the dish cloths, pulled the tie from her eyes and dragged her from the table so that her legs were wrapped around his waist and he was carrying them to the bathroom. Meryda kissed him, tasting herself against his tongue and she almost lost it.

Ignis crossed the threshold of the bathroom and placed Meryda down on the tiled floor, kicking the carpet out of his way so he would not lose his footing and spun her around to face the mirror. “Were you in here? Like this?”

She nodded, face red and lips swollen from the bites she had put them through. Without warning, Ignis reached up and ripped apart the snaps before stooping to draw the lace down her body. She lifted her feet, and once she was free, he tossed the scrap of fabric behind them on the ground where it was forgotten. He took a long moment to caress and kiss the etchings on her back that were turning a shimmering shade of gold at long last. He had loathed to see her in such pain and it was not over either, though for now they gave her no problems. Strong hands angled her hips forward and with a few sharp movements Ignis was as naked as she and surging to the hilt within her tight sheath. Meryda groaned and braced herself against the countertop.

“Look.” Ignis commanded, pulling his Goddess up against him so that her body was lengthened and fully on display for both of them to see. “Don’t you see? How gorgeous you are.” His hands slid from her throat to the valley between her breasts and deviated to the side so that he could take one heavy orb in his hand. “How soft… how exquisite, how strong.” Because she was strong. She had curves and long slopes of limb that he wanted to take time and explore when he was actually given the time. Tonight had been a start, but there would be more chances now that they had tested the waters.

“You’re beautiful Ignis.” Meryda gasped when he thrusted hard against her, withdrew ever so slowly, and repeated the harsh reentry. This was the level of friction she had been missing and now that she had it she was ready to fall head first into the chasm of pleasure looming beneath her, ready to engulf her in its sharp edges that would rip her apart with the most exquisite finish. 

“Maybe so. But in my eyes… no one could come close to eclipsing your beauty. You’re an angel… a Goddess and I will continue to sing your praises even after you have learned to believe me.” He loved every inch of this body he was joined to, and every inch of the woman that she was. “Watch… I want you to watch as you come… and to see what I see each time I am gifted that blessing.” He licked her jaw and slowly his hips quickened. He had put them both through a lot tonight and this game would not last much longer.

With Ignis’ strength, Meryda stayed upright against his strong chest and when he dipped his fingers down to taunt her clit, her knees trembled at the precise moment her body began to lock up in preparation. Eyes wide, she felt the end hit her in a flood of sensation and all she could do was stare as her mouth opened into a silent “O” before she began to shake uncontrollably and her knees gave out. 

Ignis caught Meryda and leaned them both against the counter as her end pulled his own from him in a surprise move that he hadn’t been anticipating. Though he was far from displeased. Her head was against his forearm, her body pressed to the marble, but they were both unwilling to move and also, rather unable. “Did you see it?” He grinned into her back, nuzzling her skin that was covered in goosebumps.

Meryda smiled, and kissed the top of Ignis’ hand tenderly. “Not yet… but I will over time… and much more of this.” A lot more of this was what she thought to herself. “Perhaps I can try other lingerie.”

Ignis features were lazy but sharpened as he met his girlfriend’s blue gaze in the mirror. “I cannot promise what will happen to you, but I can promise that you will be immensely satisfied in the aftermath.” He kissed her cheek, never breaking eye contact and she moaned softly in response. Tonight she had met him with such bravery despite the slight vulnerability in her aura and that was what had really turned him on. Such a brave warrior and she was all his.

After a few more moments of recuperation, Ignis kissed her shoulder blade and once his strength was at 50%, took them to the shower to clean up.

******

After thirty minutes in the shower, and preparing their little pallet they often slept on or lounged on in the living room to listen to the radio, the two lovers were in bed, naked with their supper and wine. “This is wonderful my darling.”

“I tried. I wasn’t sure whether to use Dual horn steak or Garula. I tried Garlua.” It was her best interpretation on a Wellington though it had turned out a bit messy because she hadn’t worked with puff pastry before. “And I didn’t make the peppercorn sauce, I made a Lucian tomato relish.”

“Yes, it is excellent. It cuts through the fat of the dish exquisitely” The execution was slightly messy, though the flavors were on point. “Next time we’ll make it together and I’ll help you with the puff pastry. Though I must say the rest is perfection. I believe that the mushroom duxelles is one of the best I’ve had.” 

Meryda smiled happily at the praise. As it was she felt set free after such an encounter with her lover and was more than content to sit before him with her blanket draped around her waist, breasts free to the room while they ate, settled across from one another. Ignis continued to look from her eyes to the round orbs he hadn’t gotten to pay significant attention tonight. Meryda shook her head though. “Uh uh… There’s no round two after that. I’m not sure you will be seeing her for a while.” She pointed to her lap and grinned.

Ignis also grinned, but his was a hungry smile. “Oh no? Did I mistreat her? I do so apologize.” That grin widened which promised he was anything but sorry.

Meryda flushed and wiggled as ‘she’ throbbed in interest. There was no way! “You look sorry.”

“I am.” He replied with the utmost seriousness. As if to prove his point, he sat aside his finished plate and then did the same with Meryda’s only to tackle her to the plush cushion. Tapping her nose he kissed her softly. “Were you pleased?” The tease who had been with her had vanished and back in his place was her Ignis.

Caressing the man’s angled cheeks, she nodded and sighed happily. “It was the most perfect Wednesday I’ve ever had.” It had been one of the most perfect days she had ever had, period.

Ignis’ smile was genuine as he leaned down and kissed his girlfriend with warm affection. “I’m glad.” Though he was going to try for many more in the future.

After they finished cuddling, Ignis cleaned up the dishes and meal while Meryda lounged on their little pile of luxury and welcomed him back with open arms. That night they fell asleep in the living room listening to the radio and merely caressing until they could no longer keep their eyes open.

*********

That's the end of this one! Hope you are all liking them! Kudos and comments are always appreciated!


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